NASA Beams Up 'Star Trek Into Darkness' to Astronauts In Space

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The three astronauts on board the International Space Station are
getting a sneak peak of the latest "Star Trek" film just before
people around the world get a chance to see it in theaters
themselves.

" Star
Trek Into Darkness " — the newest movie in the long-lasting
science fiction franchise — is set for release in the United
States on Thursday (May 16), but NASA is beaming up the movie to
the space station before its official release date, officials
with the space agency confirmed.

This movie screening is particularly significant for one of the
members of the crew. NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy is set to
participate in a Google+ Hangout with director J.J. Abrams and
some of the cast members from the new movie on Thursday at 12
p.m. EDT (1600 GMT). [ See
Photos from "Star Trek Into Darkness" ]

"Cassidy will provide insights about life aboard the station,"
NASA officials wrote in a statement. "Crews conduct a variety of
science experiments and perform station maintenance during their
six-month stay on the outpost. Their life in weightlessness
requires different approaches to everyday activities such as
eating, sleeping and exercising."

Cast members taking part in the event include Chris Pine (Captain
Kirk), Alice Eve (Dr. Carol Marcus) and John Cho (Sulu).

"The deadline to submit video questions is 3 a.m. Wednesday, May
15," NASA officials wrote. "To be considered, video clips must be
no longer than 30 seconds and uploaded to YouTube and tagged with
#askNASA. Submitters should introduce themselves and mention
their location before asking their question."

The first "Star Trek" film in the most recent iteration of the
series was sent up to the orbiting laboratory when it was
released in 2009. In 2005, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"
was sent up to entertain the space station crewmembers.

Astronauts have long been inspired by "Star Trek." The crew that
launched aboard the final flight of the space shuttle Endeavour
recreated the poster from the 2009 "Star Trek" re-boot for their
mission poster.

It's a busy week for the residents of the International Space
Station, but they should get a little time to sit back and enjoy
the movie before Cassidy's webcast on Thursday.
Three crewmembers just returned to Earth after a five month
stay, leaving Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Pavel Vinogradov and
Alexander Misurkin to man the station until three new astronauts
fly up a the end of the month.

The $100 billion space station was built by five different space
agencies that represent a total of 15 countries. Construction
began in 1998 and the station has been occupied by crews of
cosmonauts and astronauts continuously since 2000.